This tale had its origins in a classified add posted by member taminator. She was selling her 2002 red Colonial Cruiser, I was looking for a second sickle and the price was right. I called around, went on line and generally got things figured on how to affect inspection and take possession. I would fly out to Texas A&M look over the sickle pay for it and ride North to Oklahoma City. From there the plans were open ended and I posted a thread titled “Texas Fly & Ride” in the Rides, Rallies, & Events section. A week was the time budget, and mountains or really big hills would be my way of aiming my motorsickle homeward.

July 23 was that fateful day when Tam posted her for sale advertisement. 15 minutes after reading her post, I had been acknowledged as a holder of first dibs. Lynn needed to be brought up to speed and it was with her blessing that I called Tam and Kenny to let them know that good news. July 24 I made my reservations with Continental. On the 25th of July I sent my tools and clothing ahead of me. It was beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Visions of untraveled lands danced in my head and the freedom of choice was beckoning me to roll north from Bryan, TX.

Tuesday July 31, 2007
dawned muggy and electric. My brother arrived at my house at 4am to take me to Orlando’s airport. I carried on the items not trusted to airport handlers: Spare parts, helmet, jacket and a new 7.1 meg Nikon Coolpix. A one way ticket, no checked baggage, and way too much cash got me to thinking about why profiling should be a good thing. Or not.
Being early I managed to sail through security only suffering a minor inspection of my Triumph back pack (the backpack I was given in Evansville, Indiana for demoing a Bonneville at Big4Cycles! ) The TSA was concerned about the stock air filter and some EBC pads. No worries as they said have a nice flight and I boarded the tram and rode out to the slumbering terminal at Gate A. I purchased a copy of the Cycle World rag and read newt's comments about the baddest muscle bike. The call to board and I was in line. No delays no issues.

Flight CO1087 arrived on time in Houston. Having a two hour and twenty minute layover I should have stayed in Houston’s main terminal and looked around, but instead I boarded the bus to my crop duster terminal. There I bought a double espresso read about the Victory Vision ogled a bit at some fellow travelers and killed time. I called Ron (satxron) to say I was in Houston waiting for my flight to Easterwood and to ask where he was going to meet Tam, Kenny and I. I rang the Meadors to confirm my arrival in Houston. About this time the plan was in full swing. I checked the time and was horrified to see that the time for first boarding had already passed. Was I at the right place? I was and they were late with the boarding call. When the call was made, we walked out to a bus and went to the prop aircraft parked on the tarmac. This is it. Last flight. The plane takes off, one of the starboard Rolls Royce engine shroud latches works loose and we are ascending. Not one who likes carnival rides anymore this crop duster was quite the substitute. Yes, I felt a bit disorientated as I disembarked from the duster and walked out of the secured area of Texas A&M’s regional airport. I looked off in the distance and spotted Kenny. Hi how are you nice flight Tam is in the little girls room what would you like to do first! A billion thoughts and no way to form a coherent sentence! We walked out to the parking lot, got into Tam’s sweet black Charger R/T and eased on down the road to their place.

I took one look at Tam’s sickle and fell in love with the Bonneville America all over again. She was immaculate. Kenny suggested starting it up OK she sounds great let’s trade paper. About the time I unburden myself of way too many Andrew Jacksons and Kenny & Tam sign over the title, I hear that telltale sound of a trumpet pulling up into the driveway. Ron has arrived from San Antonio! Hi how are you great nice bike thanks nice bike thanks nice place well what is the plan Moe? The plan is to go to the office of registration and get me a temp tag. Well Kenny and Ron both being motorsickle officers (Ron retired from that) suggest that obtaining a temp tag is not necessary. OK Great let’s ride to Snook TX and get some steak! Tam & Kenny mount their V-Stroms, I my new 02 colonial cruiser and Ron his 05 TBA. To Snook we ride eating at the Czech-Tex BBQ, Steakhouse and Bakery. Nice lunch good conversation and Ron has to say goodbye as we ride back to towards Bryan, TX. We take a side trip to the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum located on the Texas A&M University campus in College Station, Texas. It was HOT out and we took a couple of pictures as the museum was closed for renovations. We could have paid admission to see the White House in Miniature exhibit but we had motorsickles outside!

Back at the Meador’s place Kenny set me up with a big fan and I changed out the air filter and the rear brakes pads. That done we got in the Charger and went to an Italian restaurant for spaghetti and Pizza. Yum yum. Back to the house and while watching Alton Brown's Dining on Asphalt , Tam gives me maps as we generally talk about my travel plans and destinations. Pig’s Tale, Rt 1 Some national forest on the OK/AR border, Waco travel tips. Tam and Kenny put me up for the night! I now know what Texas hospitality is all about as I received it firsthand from a great couple!

I retired for the evening and about 1:30am the two housecats are playing “bark at Moe and paw under his bedroom door”! I had been warning about that so I opened the door and let the cat’s curiosity be satiated as I drift back to sleep. 6:10am I hear an alarm clock and at 6:25 I’m up and packing. Not too much to pack but that first pack is such an arduous endeavor. How in the world is this stuff going to fit? About the time I am ready to roll Kenny is ready to leave for work and off I ride after saying my goodbyes to them both and thanking them profusely for their hospitality and offering them an open invite to visit Lynn and I if they ever find themselves in Florida.

Wednesday August 1
The time is about 7:30am. No breakfast, no coffee just that special feeling from brushing the teeth with a new toothbrush. (Thanks Tam!) Yes, although I did bring my toothbrush case, I didn’t put a toothbrush in it. Little things. Inconsequential none the less so that was OK by me! I am free! New sickle, new State and riding solo into an unknown. I roll north on TX rt6 all the while thinking about stopping at a cafe somewhere and grabbing some java. No such luck. I detour onto business 6 into a little socially economically depressed town called Marlin and still cannot find a place to eat. McDonald’s is not my kind of place and this was not a food emergency. Heck I needed to get myself up to the What-a-Burger in Waco TX where I would be meeting up with Levi (Wyrm74) & Terry (tmax) at 10 am. “Take the bypass around Waco Jim” Well I was early so I rode into Waco on 6 then turned north onto US77. I came up to an intersection that looked major, hung a Ralph, and rode to discover that I was on that Bypass 340 but on the North end of it. Turning around I found the What-A-Burger that was due East of a gas station. I filled up then walked towards the clerk inside to ask for directions to the Branch Davidian compound. I got directions from a Waco Police officer, “Go round the beltway, over a little hill and turn left onto FM 24 something something. Down that Farm to Market road is the place you seek. Don’t know exactly where it is” Thanks Sir. 45 minutes to find the site have I. I travel down FM 2491 until the time pushes 9:45am and I turn around. A lady was trimming her hedges on this FM road and she was the only soul I saw on it too! I turned off my sickle (Habit born of Scepters) so we could talk and she told me how to get there. When I went to start the bike, click click clickity click click vroom, whew! I roll West on FM 2491 back towards Loop 340 until I get even with the blue water towers and sure enough Double Ee Ranch Rd is on the right. I turn right, then turn right again into the Mount Carmel compound. In the back, past the grove of crepe myrtles, is a small chapel with some granite markers. I left the sickle running while I paid my respects took some photos and walked around a bit. Back to the entrance where a memorial of sorts was erected for those that died. A central granite vertical slab flanked by individual granite blocks depicting the names of those who died, the country they came from, their age and the date of their deaths. Back on the bike as I am late for my rendezvous with Levi & Terry!

Directions to Mount Carmel: East on Farm To Market Road No. 2491 from TX-340-Loop. Travel 6 miles. Turn left and head northwest on Double Ee Ranch Rd for ½ a mile. On your right is the Site of the Mount Carmel compound or what is left of it.

Terry and Levi are at the What-a-burger and wave to me as I ride up! First time for me meeting these guys. They both have ‘02 Bonneville Americas and we talk a bit, I clean my bat’tree contacts then we grab some burgers inside. The day is already hot and my shirt could have been rung out by now! Levi places a call to a Dallas Triumph dealer to make sure they have a battery for me. OK. Levi starts to tell me some stories given the Dallas dealership is forward and center about right now and Levi, says “hey guys, there is dealership 3 miles back on 77. Great let’s go there.” Sorta his words.. As we leave the What a Burger I witness firsthand Terry’s rear end whine! Something about his belt drive. Me thinking first a battery then what, now a bearing? They laugh when I mention it as we dismount at Waco’s Euro Cycles 3 miles down the road, but really 8 miles as one has to take the long way lots of times in Texas! Inside we find that the service manager, Jay Wagnor, has a Yuasa charged up and ready to go. Look inside the crystal ball moe…er the glass display case. Key FOBS I get me one of those triangular ones! And a tin of Maxima Chain Wax too. Wanted a T-shirt but all they had was one medium with a nice ball point pen mark on the front. 22 bucks will you take ten? No. OK. I got to push my sickle up in their bay and changed out the battery in the shade. Hot no fans and again I had a soaker T shirt on. After I rolled her back out inside I went to collect the Texans and I offered Jay 15 cash for the shirt. Got it then! Jay looked at my bike and said they would have put her on the showroom for 6 grand. Dang. Feeling groovy now, not that I wasn’t already. Euro Cycle was great. They had what I needed at a fair price too. Stop in and say hello sometime, tell ‘em Moe sent you.

North on I-35 towards the Grassy Knoll. We stop for a fuel-up at a place I wanted to stop at, unknown to Terry and Levi too! The Czech Stop of West, Texas. Got me a gatorade and a cheese kolache! Now I have had one. Take a sweet dough square set some filling in the middle and bake it. That my friends are kolaches. Plenty of other sweet things milling about that place too. We mount up and ride North again on I-35. A ways up the road and the right lane is closed to traffic. Good thing too because as the rain started to fall we could pull over under a bridge and have the safety of one, slower traffic due to construction and two, an empty buffer lane. We donned our rain suits and rolled into a downpour. Sometimes chaps are a wonderful thing. That was one of those times. Too bad mine where back in Florida! Rain hurts wearing blue jeans and a rain suit when traveling at speed.

The day is getting long, we stopped at a gas station to stow our rain gear and alter our plans for the Dealey Plaza detour as it its going on 3:30 and rush hour traffic hurts like, well like a driven rain! Terry breaks away East on I-20 and Levi and I ride North past the Texas School Book Depository that is visible from the interstate. At least I got a chance to see the sixth floor window with my own eyes! The ride past Dallas was okay given the hour and we made good time up to Denton, TX where Levi broke away to go home and babysit or teenager sit or watch the kids (vernacularickly challenged)! Again rain looked eminent as I road North after fueling up. Turns out I was pulling over to don my rain suit again just North of Denton about 100 yards south of Rector Rd on Cowling road. Another heavy rain and just in time my rain gear is on! I forget where I took the rain gear off again, but I do recall crossing the border into Oklahoma! One word description: Casinos. In Texas, I-35 is weird as service roads run parallel to the interstate and the concept of clover leaves was foreign there. In Oklahoma the interstates are more like those in Florida. Wide open with extremely wide medians between the opposing directions of travel.
Oklahoma. Oh yes indeed. First time for me. And it was grand. 125 more miles till I get a room and meet Greg for supper. This is where I found that my new sickle will roll 95. Easy riding with light traffic and gobbling up the highway like a kid let loose in a candy store. Blue mist shrouds the rolling prairies and gentle leans propel man and machine towards the National Memorial. Just several miles into the Southern portion of Oklahoma City I stop to get my bearings. Greg said Roy Rogers Meridian Holiday Inn Express. Simple. Calling Greg, I’m here dude, can we go over one more time your travel cues given me when I called From the Meadors? Greg sets me up. See you at 7 Greg, bye. Turns out about that the time I was walking towards the road to eyeball a street sign, a lady appears, and In my slab numbed way, I holler out, Ma’am, can you tell me where I am?! I immediately started laughing and apologized to her for I seemed to either have scared her or startled her. Anyway I know where I am I was trying to ask if you know a route that takes me North of Roy Rogers Airport to Meridian Ave? Without rolling on the belt ways? Sure fella, Shields to 44th street. Thanks! On back roads through the 3rd quadratic of the city I rolled. That would be the SW portion of the city. Smiling at everyone and seeing ethnic restaurants, loads of 30 dollar hotels, barking dogs, kids playing in the street. Grand it was. Real life in Oklahoma City! On Meridian Ave I found Greg’s Hotel and I go in search of something a bit more modest. The Courtyard by Marriott wants 159 bucks. Thank you kindly dear but I will have to look elsewhere. Next place a line has formed next place is a big score. 60 bucks clerk gives me directions to an Indian Restaurant named the Gopuram. I unload my new motorsickle for the first time, shower, ride out to find Greg. He’s Greg. I am waiting for him in his air conditioned hotel lobby. Sneak around looking for the guest puter and BAMN the thing is right at the registration desk! Having talked with the desk clerk earlier and laughing with him about the comedy Greg had suffered, 6am taxi rides, etc…Greg is not a morning person…I ask, he says yes, and I am online! Get to the site and write Chy a long PM and the window closed. Fat fingers hitting F4 or something. About the time I was trying to recover from that loss Greg walks in. Brother! Brother! Your early no I’m late. I fired off one post to the ride thread and Greg was ready to go. He had already checked out the new bike before he entered the lobby.
Yes no steak that night in the Oklahoma, but we had some real good Indian food. Not the Western Tribes type, the Asian Indian type, which was buffet style too. Greg and I dine, talking about old times, his current travel headaches, laughing hard at the comedy of errors he suffered and bikes. Back at the hotel we said goodnight and I walked outside to 80 degree temperatures a light breeze and an early Harvest Moon hanging low in the sky. Time was going on 10pm. I fired my bike and headed to the National Memorial after going online to map it out and after talking to the clerk. North on Meridan right on Reno left on Walker. Easy ride through an industrial area, past nude bars, cowboy bars and gambling joints. I parked at a metered spot, road side, next to the Western side of the National Memorial.

Walking up the stairs through the 9:03 gate of time, I behold a ½ inch deep reflecting pool where the road used to be. On the right (south side of that old street bed) were chairs that seemed to levitate above spheres of light. On the far gate of time the time was 9:01 on the gate’s wall above my head the time was 9:03. Here I was seeing the National Memorial at 11:14 at night with the only souls there among those honored were two security guards that insure respect of the cherished grounds. The National Memorial was heavy.

Thursday August 2
came early.
While loading up the bike I got to talking to a young couple as they were doing the same except they were loading their car. The guy was heading to Fort Benning, Georgia for training. I shook his hand and thanked him for his service. We talked about this and that, the adventures that await us all. God Speed. Goodbye. I head North on Meridian to the 36th Street expressway where a Triumph Dealer is. Walking inside I ask about T shirts. Nice bike, where you from, really! Can we help you out with anything? Sure got a fax machine? Yes. How about receiving proof of insurance for me? OK. Ride safe. Thanks.

I roll west 2 blocks take a left take a right and I put the side stand down at a US of A post office. Had some stuff to send back in addition to the T shirts I had bought at the triumph dealership. I was left with just enough gear that it all packed into my saddle bags. No more strapping stuff to the pillion! From the Post Office, I rode to downtown Oklahoma City.
National Memorial Daytime encounter. The Museum is open during the daylight hours. The grounds take on a new meaning in the light. I fed the monkey er meter, and walked around the grounds, taking pictures, reflecting, as I carried my helmet and jacket, thinking that of all the, well, never mind. The heat was rising fast. I went inside to get some monkey food, bought a jacket pin and went back outside to my sickle to bump the money to two hours. I would need it as the Museum I knew was going to be solemn. You have to go there. The museum is crippling. Observe ‘before’ photographs, scale model displays, rooms with survivors oral testimonials, film strips of global news coverage, and exhibits of mementoes salvaged from the ruins. Origami cranes made by thousands of school children. There is an old Japanese legend that the gods granted the wishes of sick people who folded a thousand cranes because it was believed that cranes lived for a thousand years. Our children wanted to heal the sick hearts of our nation. I can feel the weight as I write this.

I roll away from the National Memorial and head East and South. The encounter with evil’s aftermath still heavy on my heart, August’s furnace having already fired up as the time was close to 2pm. I wanted to ride by Tinker Air Force Base but as I didn’t see or hear any B52’s I wasn’t turning back when I learn that I stair stepped my way East and a bit South of it. I dropped down to OK rt9 and headed East stopping in Tecumseh for lunch at the Arrow Cafe. Brought my jacket and helmet inside to soak up the air conditioning. Over a group of three tables placed together, a sign read, ”Under this sign all the world’s troubles are solved” I know that no matter where I sit, I’ll be taking the place of a local patron. No matter. I order the daily special which was a hamburger steak with grilled onions, pinto beans, beets, and mashed potatoes with gravy. Iced tea pull the heat away as I look over my Tam’s maps and plan out my ride East. Ahhhhhhh. Cherry pie and coffee. Whewwwww.

East from Tecumseh through Seminole through Eufaula to the town of Stigler. OK 82 South (scenic Highway which had red dots following along on the map . Dropped down through Red Oak to the town of Talihina where I picked up OK Rt 1 and headed East through the Quachita National Forest. I sign said that a Lodge was 44 miles away down this Blue Ridge Parkway clone. The time was going on 8:00 I had 120 miles on my trip Odometer and almost stayed on US 271 to go to Poteau for the night. Glad I didn’t because this diversion was just the ride I needed after visiting the National Memorial. This section of Rt 1 is also known as the Talimena Drive. 48 miles later I cross the State Line into Arkansas. The Talimena Drive is similar to the Northern Blue Ridge Parkway. Great road and as an early evening rain was threatening, the temps were cool and the ride was grand. Sweeping curves whoop-de-doos and little to no traffic. (8:30 at night, when it is raining, on a Thursday night, might be why the traffic was extremely light. ) I stopped at various overlooks but the saturated low clouds dampened the view and cast everything with a mountain blue hue. The last place I stopped after I took pictures of the Welcome to Oklahoma sign (facing back the way I had ridden) I felt heavy drops of rain, donned my gear and rode the last five miles or so to the Queen Wilhelmina Lodge in a cloud burst replete with beautiful bolts of lightning. I walked up to the front door and noticed that I was dripping wet. No problem sir, come right in. I registered, the restaurant closes at 9 it is 8:40 right now and I sure could eat some grub. I shed my rain suit at the room then loaded up three plates of chow and sat down. (buffet). Two Texans I had met at the registration desk who themselves were touring and they like me found themselves at the Queen Wilhelmina Lodge bent my ear (as I did theirs) after I sat down to take my supper. Pointers on where to ride, what to avoid, and tales from the roads, witnessed three plates of chow barely touched and me retiring for the evening. But wait, just about the time that I got back to my room I remembered that all my gear was on my poor wet little girl parked outside. At least the rain had stopped! I even backed her into the parking spot so the water would not run up her pipes.
That evening I started my journal using a journal I purchased from the gift shop at the National Memorial, closing the cover at 1:30am.

Friday August 3
Woke up it was a chelsea morning, and the first thing that I saw were the bikes parked outside along the wall, and the mist and colors of dawn that beckoned me. With camera in hand I walked barefoot about the grounds enjoying the early morning dew and pinching a cinnamon bun from the breakfast buffet bar. Got to chatting with an elderly chap on the front porch. Is that your bike parked out there? Yes. Triumph? Yes. You must be good with your bikes as how can you tell that from here? Your T'shirt! We laughed and he talked about his BSA, trumpets and other bikes. 37 years this man has bought and sold used aircraft. What a life. Like a motorsickle on wings those planes are.

I checked out and headed on my way to Birmingham AL. I didn’t know that was where I was going but those darn scenic roads found me rolling every which way but towards home! I took 88 from the lodge south. 88 is also known as the Skyline Drive in Arkansas. 88 brought me to the town of Mena. After pulling a couple of moe’s I realized that Route 8 piggybacked with US-71 for a couple of blocks so I found myself heading southeast on Arkansas Rt 8. Little dots along various roads had me turning away from home again at the town of Norman, AR heading North on US27. After 40 miles I rode up to a little place called Onyx, AR and turned onto AR rural rt 314 heading east. Arkansas Scenic 7 Byway awaited me at the town of Hollis another 20 miles east on 314! Although I only rolled 30 miles on Arkansas’ first state-designated scenic byway it was worth every twist of the throttle! Having been riding in the Ouachita Mountains, famous for their quartz crystals all day this was the perfect prelude to the flat lands that waited me at Little Rock. Rolling on 7 south through Hot Springs Village to Fountain Lake I turned East once again onto AR 5. AR 5 (aka Hot Springs Highway) wound 40 miles though rolling fields which brought me into the suburbs of Little Rock. I stopped for lunch at what I thought was a family diner. Our Place Bar and Grill on Stagecoach Rd in Little Rock. The heat was on again and I walked inside to see a classic redneck bar. 12:30 and beer was being consumed by guys holding pool cues and wearing T-Shirts of the carpet cleaning company they worked for. What the hay. I’ll get me a cheese steak sandwich, cool down with iced tea and ask about someone’s library downtown. Turns out those 7 guys and two girls had their orders in front of mine so I got lots of time to cool down! The barkeep explained to me (between gulps of budweisers) that RT 5 will get me to the library, but I wouldn’t want to roll on it. Something about one of Joseph Conrad’s books or some such. Heart of something. Look it up. I chowed down. Great sandwich too. I took the beltway (I-430) way round the west side of the city then got on I-630 heading east to downtown Little Rock. I was going to stop but right after I left Our Place, the rain started I donned my rain suit, the rain stopped 5 miles later and I was way too hot to stop off in Little Rock. I had visited George H’s library in Bryan, TX so I had no desire to see wet cigars given the circumstances.

I rolled to the end of 630 hung a Louie on I-30 then a Ralph on US70. 70 parallels I-40. Every 500 yards or so on 70 your lower back gets a refreshing JOLT. Nice road Bill… 82 miles of back adjustments later I stopped in Palestine for fuel and a lemonade and got on I-40 for my ride through Memphis TN. I rolled through Memphis and headed south on 240 then I-55 into Mississippi. My plan was to buy a map when I got in Mississippi! Well I stair stepped my way SE of Memphis after exiting 55. Rush hour traffic HOT and I enjoyed turning right then left repeatedly! One east bound road was a divided 4 lane with zero traffic! Rain had just fallen and the mist was up and the sky was gray. Great riding until this great flattop ended! I turned right again and wound up just south of a town called Olive Branch. I stopped at a local yokel market and asked ‘Patsy’ how I get to US 78 as Patsy had no maps for sale?! Go north to College turn right turn left at dead end and you will be on the interstate. Okay. Ain’t no interstate, but since “I fall to pieces” was playing in my mind, I said fine. Thank you. Turns out 78 is future I-22. Now I am trucking. Heading to Birmingham AL on 78. Stopped in Byhalia, Mississippi at 5:30pm for gas and yes, a map. Mistake that was. Map? I’ll be rolling 78 into Birmingham and I need a map? Oh well. It was after all a map of two states MS & AL.

Well 78 is a kick back and ride roll. I can eat up them miles with quiet pipes and a sun setting behind me. For sure. Getting 150 to 160miles before hitting reserve I figure I’ll see if I can hit a ton. 97 is all she has being stock so I settle into a cat and mouse ride with two cages. Between 75mph to 95mph is our speed. 95 to get em away from me and 75 when I feel the hair stand up on the back of my neck. Turns out that good old neck hair helped me out as I saw the brakes of a Mississippi State Patrol cruiser light up! The two cages had been in front of me at the time. Well the trooper blasts past me at a good 140mph and disappears into the dusk of what has been one hard day of riding. Of the two cages I had been playing with one maintained their breakneck speed while the second cage had wimped out and was driving at 50mph or so. Wimp. I passed the wimpy cager up and was trying to un-pinch my buttocks cheek about the time I crest the next hill and see that the trooper has the lead cage I was following pulled over. What the heck is that trooper doing standing outside his cruiser in the road with his palm held upright at shoulder height? Hum… You looking at me? Huh come on! Are you looking at me? I then see him waving wildly for the wimpy cager behind me to pull over. No eye contact with me. WHEW!

I slowed down.

I almost pulled off at the next exit just in case his radio was broadcasting . Almost. Well I continued on at a civil rate of speed and before I knew it I saw ‘Welcome to Alabama’. Alabama. Dang. Never been to Alabama. Nor any of the other States I had been in the past couple of days. I stopped off in Alabama where future I-22 used to end got some gas called and talked to Chy and called oldroadie leaving a message for him. Side stand up and I was back on 78 heading to Birmingham. Future I-22/78 ends at Jasper AL and I was back on a standard intercity US highway once again. It was getting dark, I was tired and the time must have been around 8:45pm. That cheese steak sandwich I had back at Our Place was long gone. I should have stayed in Jasper for the night, but I wanted to stay in Birmingham as touring the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum was my next day’s planned activity. Wanting to bed down for the night close to it so I could sleep in a bit. Yes sleep in to 8am or so anyways…

Rural 78 from Jasper to Birmingham was one dark long road filled either side with bingo halls. Bingo hall and more bingo halls. Anyone want to play bingo? Well do I have place you would call heaven. And bingo you are in bingo heaven. I digress.

Birmingham for me was the twilight zone. I rode on 78 into Birmingham right past a Days Inn and a La Quinta Inn. BIG mistake. I should have stayed at one of those. No wait a minute I should have stayed in Jasper! The two hotels where at 78 and I-59/I-20. I turned south on US11 couldn’t safely stop anywhere and rolled to Aaron Aronov Drive headed west and was going to look at a map but again, it just didn’t feel right. Lost? No just the twilight zone. I pressed on took a left onto Valley road and when I got to an intersection that looked good I stopped and looked at a map. The time was, gosh, 10pm or 10:30? A McDonald’s was right across the street, full of the Friday night teenage teeny bopper kids doing their summer socializing. Although the air was hot calmness found its way to me and I relaxed as this area was right/safe/okay. I remember seeing signs that said stuff like Dr. Martin Luther King Drive, Zamir's Christian Jazz Club, Sneaky Pete's Hot Dogs and Hueytown to name a few. Turns out I was in Hueytown. And of all places right on Allison Bonnett Memorial Drive! Great. The birthplace of nascar and I can’t find a place to crash. I remembered that I had left a message on oldroadie’s machine and in doing so had not left a phone number! Well I pulled out my phone and guess who had tried to call? Yes, Ed. So I called him and trying to sound calm, asked him WHERE THE HECK AM I? A Honda cage stealership was next to mickey d’s so having that and Ed having a puter we figured out where I was. However, take a right and you can’t miss the 59/20 turned out to be slightly wrong. Sometimes mapquest or similar is wrong. I should have taken a left! Ed and I planned out Saturdays meeting place and with that I hung up and called my wife. What! Why are you not in a hotel room. You are supposed to call me AFTER you get checked in somewhere and here you are in a parking lot somewhere in Birmingham. (Actually a SW suburb, you know Hueytown!) You call me when you get somewhere. What are you doing still on the road at 11 pm? I’m riding baby. Just trying to get a place for the night…

I take that fateful right and 2 miles down the road, Allison Bonnett Memorial Drive is relabeled Warrior River Road. Hum. Turn around. Go back to mickey d’s. Try again. Same results hum. Okay. I’ll try Hueytown road then. Suffice it to say that I finally found 59-20 and with a huge sigh of relief I rolled the last 33 miles from Hueytown to Leeds AL. Checked in at the Days Inn in Leeds. Rode to the take out window at Wendy’s then the quick mart for a couple of beers then back to the dumpy Days Inn. Calling Lynn at midnight or so.

Saturday August 4
Next morning I told Ed I would call. I did so around 7:30 or 8am can’t recall which. Ed wasn’t set to arrive in Leeds until 9:30 or so and early bird me cannot get back to sleep. Sleeeeep what is that? Fooood what is that? I’ll live without sleep and food but not without riding! Ed rolls up right on time as I am loading up my red trumpet. I finish zipping on the saddle bags, check out, scarf some OJ and away we go to the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum! Nirvana if ever such a thing exists in Alabama. Way too many bikes and as I have written over 6000 words already I’ll use Ed's Write-up to convey the Barber Vintage Museum!
Ed and I rode up to the NE corner of AL after touring the museum, where we parted ways at Gaylesville, AL. I rolled up 68 into Georgia (which is relabeled GA rt 114, thank you very much) Did I mess up again? I hate that! Rolling through Summerville, then down through the little Texas Valley where I headed East on 140 rolling through Adiarsville, Rydal, and into Waleska where I picked up 108. In Tate, GA 108 is renamed GA 53 and I head east wishing I had taken off my sunglasses. 53 brings me to Dawsonville where I stop to change out my glasses and being real familiar with the roads now, ease on up RT 9 to the Golden lands of Chytown. Too bad it is dark out as I wanted to carve up 9 and spit it out. No driving lights so I took on the post ‘Mississippi State Police almost was an encounter’ frame of mind again. I slowed down! Thinking with my stomach again, I stopped at the Fast Stop on 52 right at the west side of Dahlonega. There I purchased a sixer of Newcastle Brooooon Ale and a bag of chips. Man do I eat good or what? That folks is dinner. No lunch this day, a banana and tart, er tort for breakfast and this is my reward. What fine rewards it is too! I am digging out my backpack so I can transport my libations and a couple that rode up on a motorsickle comes over and ask me about the bike. Just bought it in Texas. Wow! Where are you headed? We know of some good hotels. Thanks but I’m on my way to Wash Rider Road. Would you like some Pizza? We have a couple of slices. Thanks but I don’t have any room as the beer and chips are stuffing my backpack and my saddle bags are full. They hail from Dalton and I mention that I may take a steak in Hiawassee Sunday. Time to go. I ask them their names again. (real bad at names) They say Tam and Kenny. Huh? You have got to be kidding me. Why? Well the folks I bought this sickle from nigh on 4 days ago and close to 1800 miles back in a little town called Bryan located in TX, you got to be kidding me. Tam and Kenny, Yes. Well anyways the couple I bought this trumpet from are Tam and Kenny! Dang. Dang. Can I take your picture. I just don’t believe it! Of all the things. Full circle and almost at my GA home!

We say our goodbyes I throw a leg over my baby and dang if the backpack and backrest can’t get along! I am riding hunched over, negotiating Clay Creek Falls Rd and roll up into the Adams unheard. Can you hear stock pipes?

It is sure good to see Chy and Di! They have me fix myself a sandwich; I quaff some brews and talk about my trip. Half falling asleep on the recliner I excuse myself for the night.

Sunday August 5
Awake at a respectable hour. Chy makes me some pancakes, Larry rides up on his Scrambler and we are off to ride up in the Brasstown Ranger District! Past Blood Mountain, then the Richard Russell Parkway and back to Dahlonega. Sweet riding everytime. When we get back to the house, Chy says that he would have stopped at the Mexican Restaurant in Dahlonega except he lost one of his cylinders on the Legend. Good thing it was close to home! We get in the Monte Crispo and roll back to meet Di for lunch. After lunch I get to ride Chy’s new lawnmower around while they wash the dogs! Rain comes and goes. I get geared up for the ride home, they order out for pizza and we watch the colors settle down for the night. Sweet home Georgia. I love it.

Monday August 6.
Up and on the bike at 7:30 arriving home at 5pm or thereabouts. Easy 550 mile roll, taking back roads to Jacksonville, FL then slabbing it on 95. Stopped off in Daytona to see if Ryan was around. No answer Got back on the bike and rode home.

I have rode so many times between Chytown and home that that part of the trip is like telling a stranger how to get to wally world.

Thanks to a classified add posted by member taminator, I was able to undertake this fantastic road trip. The sickle handled most excellently with zero problems. My wife’s understanding afforded me the peace of mind I needed to accomplish this glorious trek. The new friends I met along the way where as good as Blue Bell ice cream. Seeing my dear friends in Dahlonega was the greatest. Riding roads in states I have never been was religious. Getting confused in Birmingham, was exciting in a weird way. Knowing I had a reliable sickle tween my legs was comforting.

A very special Thank you to Tam & Kenny Meadors. They parted ways with a fine bike and I gained two new friends. Ron, Terry, Levi and Ed. Mighty fine meeting up with and sharing some road with you.

That’s it folks. In written words anyways. I can guarantee you I’ll talk about this trip for a long time…

Photographs of my Texas Fly & Ride

Blowing gravel off rural roads